


Soulmates

by annannette (fanetjuh)



Series: Jonsa Week [7]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 08:54:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12453915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanetjuh/pseuds/annannette
Summary: At midnight sharp the magical necklace lady Sansa was wearing would reveal her soulmate, the man who will make her happy, the man who will get her hand.And everyone in Winterfell, everyone in the North, wanted to know who the eldest Stark daughter would wed.Especially since she was the first one of the Stark family who’s countdown had reached the zero.At least, that’s what everyone thought.





	Soulmates

The halls of Winterfell were extraordinary crowded. Maids were decorating the main hall with garlands made of different kinds of flowers. Servants were running from the kitchen with full plates only to return a few second laters to get another one. Young men were carrying wooden tables and benches so all the invited visitors tonight would have a seat.

At midnight sharp the magical necklace lady Sansa was wearing would reveal her soulmate, the man who will make her happy, the man who will get her hand. 

And everyone in Winterfell, everyone in the North, wanted to know who the eldest Stark daughter would wed.

Especially since she was the first one of the Stark family who’s countdown had reached the zero.

At least, that’s what everyone thought.

Jon curled his hand around his necklace. He preferred to keep it hidden in the pocket of his pants or under his pillow, but now it was dangling against his chest, covered by his shirt. He had no illusions.

Even if the Starks had known that he would get to see the image of his soulmate today too, it wouldn’t have changed anything. They wouldn’t have thrown a bigger party. They wouldn’t have promoted him to the main table. They wouldn’t have treated him any better.

He made his way through the hallway and he nodded every time he passed someone he vaguely knew. He tried to pretend that he was as excited about the festivities as the others. He tried to act like he was helping out where he could. He tried to act like Sansa’s special day wasn’t his special day too. Especially because he knew that the chance that the girl who was stuck with him would really marry him was rather small anyway.

No one wanted to marry a bastard. No one wanted to marry a man with nothing to inherit and no name to pass on. No one wanted to marry the walking proof of a sin.

“Jon?” Robb turned one of the corners. “It’s your turn to get pretty for tonight.” He touched his bare chin and let his hand go through his curls. “Martha is in an awful mood, so I wouldn’t keep her waiting too long, unless you want to end up with a wounded cheek or neck.” He grinned and a little reluctantly Jon followed him.

He didn’t understand why he had to get pretty in the first place. He would be sitting at a table at the very back. No one would notice or see him. No matter how pretty they’d make him, no one would care. But he sat down in the chair and he closed his eyes while Martha took care of his beard and hair.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to take your shirt off, sir. We don’t want it to get dirty.” The girl bent her head and avoided his glance and with one smooth movement Jon pulled the shirt over his back. “Thank you, sir.” The girl continued, but the comfortable silence was interrupted when Robb cleared his throat.

“Why didn’t you tell us anything?”

Jon’s eyes flashed open. The necklace, resting on his chest, was burning his skin and he widened his eyes when he realized that Robb must have noticed the big zero in the centre of the silver coin. “It doesn’t make a difference.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“It does!” Robb grabbed a chair and sat down next to one of his best friends. “Jon! You’re going to meet your soulmate tonight! I’m sure that if father knew about it, he would have arranged something for you too.”

“An extra piece of meat? A fuller glass of wine?” Jon crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m fine, Robb. This is Sansa’s night. The last thing I want is steal some of her attention.”

Robb kept silent for a moment. “Fine, but you have to let me see her picture once it gets revealed, do you promise me?”

Jon nodded, although he didn’t answer out loud.

By tonight, when everyone would be excited about Sansa’s soulmate, Robb had probably forgotten about this moment already.

And Jon wouldn’t blame him for it.

How could Jon blame him for it? How could Jon blame anyone for being distracted by Sansa’s beauty? How could Jon blame them for staring at her if he was staring at her himself ever since she had entered the main hall?

She was wearing a dark green dress, covered in complicated golden patterns. Her skirt touched the ground and she was forced to take small steps to prevent herself from standing on it. Yet, she was greeting everyone with a smile on her lips and a glimmering in her eyes, which was maybe nothing but the reflection of the light of the thousand burning candles.

Jon and Sansa had never talked much. Jon had spent most of his time with Arya. Sansa had spent most of her time preparing for this moment, for this day, for the day she’d no longer be Sansa Stark of Winterfell, but the future bride of who knew whom. This had to be the most beautiful day of her life, which was probably why she looked even more beautiful than usually.

Jon had promised himself that somewhen tonight he would deliver that compliment to her personally, but even after his third glass of wine he had still not found the courage to stand up and go to her.

“Can I fill your glass with champagne, sir?” One of the servants stood still next to the wooden table. “In five minutes it will be midnight and Lord Stark wants everyone to have a full glass by then.”

Absentmindedly Jon lifted his glass up and allowed the girl to fill it.

In five minutes the number on his necklace would disappear. In five minutes the picture of his soulmate would appear.

He watched how Lord Stark walked towards his eldest daughter and grabbed her hand. With a proud smile he lead her towards the wooden stage in the middle of the room and Sansa climbed it while she took her necklace off and placed it in the palm of her hand.

A part of Jon wanted to do the same. He wanted to stare at the necklace for the upcoming five minutes. He wanted to see the number disappear. He wanted to see the picture appear. But he didn’t do so. He didn’t want to distract anyone. He also didn’t want to distract himself.

Sansa shifted her weight from one leg to the other. Her lips were forming a straight line and her glance was glued to the necklace she was holding.

The voices around them softened until they were not even whispering anymore. Some people were holding the arms of their husbands or wives, clearly remembering the day they had gotten to know each other. Others were staring at their own necklaces, probably dreaming of the day it would reach the zero too.

“One more minute Sansa…” Ned Stark spoke softly, but his voice still echoed through the entire room.

Jon’s necklace seemed to become heavier and heavier with each second that passed.

“Half a minute.” Ned placed his hands on his daughter’s shoulders and Sansa took one last deep breath, just like everyone else in the room.

Everyone who listened closely could hear the mice walking around to find the small bits of food that had fallen on the floor, but no one listened closely. Everyone was staring at Sansa, at the necklace she was holding, at her father, looking over her shoulder while pearls of sweat covered his forehead.

“Ten seconds.” Ned Stark tightened his grip and Jon stood up from his seat to have a better view. “Five seconds.” Ned squeezed his daughter’s shoulders once more and Jon straightened his back and lifted his chin.

“What?” Sansa’s eyes widened and she dropped her jaw. “Dad?” She looked over her shoulder, but Ned’s face was drained of all color and paler than it had ever been before. “How is this possible?” She pressed the necklace to her chest in an attempt to hide the image from all the curious glances.

“It’s a long story…” Ned swallowed. He placed a hand in his neck and he started to walk back and forth. “But…” He hesitated for a moment. “I can assure you that you can marry him if you want to.” He locked his glance with his daughter’s. “It’s your choice.”

Sansa tightened her grip on her necklace and then her eyes wandered over the crowd. Sometimes she nodded, she curled her lips up into a slight smile when she caught Robb’s glance for a second, but eventually she let her eyes rest on Jon.

Jon felt his heart racing in his chest.

The longer Sansa stared at him, the more heads in the crowd turned around to see what she was looking at.

He felt his cheeks heating up and he frowned his forehead. And only then he remembered that he had not looked at his own necklace yet. His hands were shaking while he reached for it and he widened his eyes when he saw the image on the spot where the number used to be.

Her fiery red hair. The freckles on her cheeks.

He knew them all too well.

Sansa. Sansa was his soulmate.

And he was hers. He looked up at her, back at the image on the necklace and back at her. “I’m so sorry…” He didn’t know why those were the first words he managed to say. “I’m so so sorry.” He bent his head and as quickly as he could he put the necklace away.

The Starks had thrown an entire party. The main hall was filled with friends, with strangers, with those who loved the Starks and those who hated them.

Jon had no idea what this meant for their reputation, but he was afraid it wouldn’t do much good.

“You’re not my son.” Ned Stark stepped forward and Jon’s muscles tensed. “It’s a long story, a way too long and way too complicated story to tell today, but you’re not my son.” He turned his head to Sansa again. “Jon is not your brother.”

Sansa nodded slowly, as if she needed time to let the words sink in. “He’s not my brother. He’s my soulmate.” She stretched out her hand and quickly Robb rushed towards her to help her to come down. “All my life I’ve been dreaming about meeting him. I’ve wondered what he would be like. I’ve wondered if he would be nice and honest and loyal.” She made her way through the crowd to the wooden table in the very back, where Jon was still standing, unable to move and unable to say anything. “Maybe this was not how I had imagined today, but you are the kind of man I’ve been dreaming of.” She stood still in front of him. “I want to give us a chance, but only if you want to too.”

Jon kept silent for a moment. He was used to a life in the shadows, to not being seen, to not being heard, to stay hidden in the corner. He was not used to so many people staring at him. He was not used to people holding their breath until he would give her an answer. “You really want to marry me?”

Sansa reached for his hands and her fingers rubbed his knuckles. “Yes, I do.” She nodded, but she avoided his glance. “I’ve sworn to marry my soulmate. You are my soulmate. I’ve sworn to marry you.”

“I will not hold you to a promise you regret.” Jon shook his head.

“I don’t regret my promise.”

Jon’s lips were trembling a little while he curled them slowly up into a smile.

“Unless you don’t want to marry me?” Sansa smiled back at him, but Jon quickly pressed his hands to her cheeks.

“I want to marry you.”

Sansa’s smile brightened and then she leaned in to press a kiss on his cheek. “And I’m really happy it’s you.”


End file.
